Saint Irenaeus of Lyons

Against Heresies

Name: Against Heresies
Author: Saint Irenaeus of Lyons

2nd c.

Classic translation

Polemics & Heresiology · English translation, 1890

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Against Heresies: Book I
Preface
Chapter I.—Absurd Ideas of the Disciples of Valentinus as to the Origin, Name…
Chapter II.—The Propator Was Known to Monogenes Alone. Ambition, Disturbance…
Chapter III.—Texts of Holy Scripture Used by These Heretics to Support Their…
Chapter IV.—Account Given by the Heretics of the Formation of Achamoth; Origin…
Chapter V.—Formation of the Demiurge; Description of Him. He is the Creator of…
Chapter VI.—The Threefold Kind of Man Feigned by These Heretics: Good Works…
Chapter VII.—The Mother Achamoth, When All Her Seed Are Perfected, Shall Pass…
Chapter VIII.—How the Valentinians Pervert the Scriptures to Support Their Own…
Chapter IX.—Refutation of the Impious Interpretations of These Heretics
Chapter X.—Unity of the Faith of the Church Throughout the Whole World
Chapter XI.—The Opinions of Valentinus, With Those of His Disciples and Others
Chapter XII.—The Doctrines of the Followers of Ptolemy and Colorbasus
Chapter XIII.—The Deceitful Arts and Nefarious Practices of Marcus
Chapter XIV.—The Various Hypotheses of Marcus and Others. Theories Respecting…
Chapter XV.—Sige Relates to Marcus the Generation of the Twenty-four Elements…
Chapter XVI.—Absurd Interpretations of the Marcosians
Chapter XVII.—The Theory of the Marcosians, That Created Things Were Made After…
Chapter XVIII.—Passages From Moses, Which the Heretics Pervert to the Support…
Chapter XIX.—Passages of Scripture by Which They Attempt to Prove That the…
Chapter XX.—The Apocryphal and Spurious Scriptures of the Marcosians, With…
Chapter XXI.—The Views of Redemption Entertained by These Heretics
Chapter XXII.—Deviations of Heretics From the Truth
Chapter XXIII.—Doctrines and Practices of Simon Magus and Menander
Chapter XXIV.—Doctrines of Saturninus and Basilides
Chapter XXV.—Doctrines of Carpocrates
Chapter XXVI.—Doctrines of Cerinthus, the Ebionites, and Nicolaitanes
Chapter XXVII.—Doctrines of Cerdo and Marcion
Chapter XXVIII.—Doctrines of Tatian, the Encratites, and Others
Chapter XXIX.—Doctrines of Various Other Gnostic Sects, and Especially of the…
Chapter XXX.—Doctrines of the Ophites and Sethians
Chapter XXXI.—Doctrines of the Cainites
Against Heresies: Book II
Preface (i)
Chapter I.—There is but One God: the Impossibility of its Being Otherwise
Chapter II.—The World Was Not Formed by Angels, or by Any Other Being, Contrary…
Chapter III.—The Bythus and Pleroma of the Valentinians, as Well as the God of…
Chapter IV.—The Absurdity of the Supposed Vacuum and Defect of the Heretics is…
Chapter V.—This World Was Not Formed by Any Other Beings Within the Territory…
Chapter VI.—The Angels and the Creator of the World Could Not Have Been…
Chapter VII.—Created Things Are Not the Images of Those Æons Who Are Within the…
Chapter VIII.—Created Things Are Not a Shadow of the Pleroma
Chapter IX.—There is but One Creator of the World, God the Father: This the…
Chapter X.—Perverse Interpretations of Scripture by the Heretics: God Created…
Chapter XI.—The Heretics, From Their Disbelief of the Truth, Have Fallen Into…
Chapter XII.—The Triacontad of the Heretics Errs Both by Defect and Excess…
Chapter XIII.—The First Order of Production Maintained by the Heretics is…
Chapter XIV.—Valentinus and His Followers Derived the Principles of Their…
Chapter XV.—No Account Can Be Given of These Productions
Chapter XVI.—The Creator of the World Either Produced of Himself the Images of…
Chapter XVII.—Inquiry Into the Production of the Æons: Whatever its Supposed…
Chapter XVIII.—Sophia Was Never Really in Ignorance or Passion; Her Enthymesis…
Chapter XIX.—Absurdities of the Heretics as to Their Own Origin: Their Opinions…
Chapter XX.—Futility of the Arguments Adduced to Demonstrate the Sufferings of…
Chapter XXI.—The Twelve Apostles Were Not a Type of the Æons
Chapter XXII.—The Thirty Æons Are Not Typified by the Fact That Christ Was…
Chapter XXIII.—The Woman Who Suffered From an Issue of Blood Was No Type of the…
Chapter XXIV.—Folly of the Arguments Derived by the Heretics From Numbers…
Chapter XXV.—God is Not to Be Sought After by Means of Letters, Syllables, and…
Chapter XXVI.—“Knowledge Puffeth up, but Love Edifieth.”
Chapter XXVII.—Proper Mode of Interpreting Parables and Obscure Passages of…
Chapter XXVIII.—Perfect Knowledge Cannot Be Attained in the Present Life: Many…
Chapter XXIX.—Refutation of the Views of the Heretics as to the Future Destiny…
Chapter XXX.—Absurdity of Their Styling Themselves Spiritual, While the…
Chapter XXXI.—Recapitulation and Application of the Foregoing Arguments
Chapter XXXII.—Further Exposure of the Wicked and Blasphemous Doctrines of the…
Chapter XXXIII.—Absurdity of the Doctrine of the Transmigration of Souls
Chapter XXXIV.—Souls Can Be Recognised in the Separate State, and Are Immortal…
Chapter XXXV.—Refutation of Basilides, and of the Opinion That the Prophets…
Against Heresies: Book III
Preface (i, 2)
Chapter I.—The Apostles Did Not Commence to Preach the Gospel, or to Place…
Chapter II.—The Heretics Follow Neither Scripture nor Tradition
Chapter III.—A Refutation of the Heretics, From the Fact That, in the Various…
Chapter IV.—The Truth is to Be Found Nowhere Else but in the Catholic Church…
Chapter V.—Christ and His Apostles, Without Any Fraud, Deception, or Hypocrisy…
Chapter VI—The Holy Ghost, Throughout the Old Testament Scriptures, Made…
Chapter VII.—Reply to an Objection Founded on the Words of St. Paul (2 Cor. Iv…
Chapter VIII.—Answer to an Objection, Arising From the Words of Christ (Matt…
Chapter IX.—One and the Same God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, is He Whom…
Chapter X.—Proofs of the Foregoing, Drawn From the Gospels of Mark and Luke
Chapter XI—Proofs in Continuation, Extracted From St. John’s Gospel. The…
Chapter XII.—Doctrine of the Rest of the Apostles
Chapter XIII—Refutation of the Opinion, That Paul Was the Only Apostle Who Had…
Chapter XIV.—If Paul Had Known Any Mysteries Unrevealed to the Other Apostles…
Chapter XV.—Refutation of the Ebionites, Who Disparaged the Authority of St…
Chapter XVI.—Proofs From the Apostolic Writings, That Jesus Christ Was One and…
Chapter XVII.—The Apostles Teach That it Was Neither Christ nor the Saviour…
Chapter XVIII.—Continuation of the Foregoing Argument. Proofs From the Writings…
Chapter XIX.—Jesus Christ Was Not a Mere Man, Begotten From Joseph in the…
Chapter XX.—God Showed Himself, by the Fall of Man, as Patient, Benign…
Chapter XXI.—A Vindication of the Prophecy in Isa. Vii. 14 Against the…
Chapter XXII.—Christ Assumed Actual Flesh, Conceived and Born of the Virgin
Chapter XXIII.—Arguments in Opposition to Tatian, Showing That it Was Consonant…
Chapter XXIV.—Recapitulation of the Various Arguments Adduced Against Gnostic…
Chapter XXV.—This World is Ruled by the Providence of One God, Who is Both…
Against Heresies: Book IV
Preface (i, 3)
Chapter I.—The Lord Acknowledged but One God and Father
Chapter II.—Proofs From the Plain Testimony of Moses, and of the Other…
Chapter III.—Answer to the Cavils of the Gnostics. We Are Not to Suppose That…
Chapter IV.—Answer to Another Objection, Showing That the Destruction of…
Chapter V.—The Author Returns to His Former Argument, and Shows That There Was…
Chapter VI.—Explanation of the Words of Christ, “No Man Knoweth the Father, but…
Chapter VII.—Recapitulation of the Foregoing Argument, Showing That Abraham…
Chapter VIII.—Vain Attempts of Marcion and His Followers, Who Exclude Abraham…
Chapter IX.—There is but One Author, and One End to Both Covenants
Chapter X.—The Old Testament Scriptures, and Those Written by Moses in…
Chapter XI.—The Old Prophets and Righteous Men Knew Beforehand of the Advent of…
Chapter XII.—It Clearly Appears That There Was but One Author of Both the Old…
Chapter XIII.—Christ Did Not Abrogate the Natural Precepts of the Law, but…
Chapter XIV.—If God Demands Obedience From Man, if He Formed Man, Called Him…
Chapter XV.—At First God Deemed it Sufficient to Inscribe the Natural Law, or…
Chapter XVI.—Perfect Righteousness Was Conferred Neither by Circumcision nor by…
Chapter XVII.—Proof That God Did Not Appoint the Levitical Dispensation for His…
Chapter XVIII.—Concerning Sacrifices and Oblations, and Those Who Truly Offer…
Chapter XIX.—Earthly Things May Be the Type of Heavenly, but the Latter Cannot…
Chapter XX.—That One God Formed All Things in the World, by Means of the Word…
Chapter XXI.—Abraham’s Faith Was Identical With Ours; This Faith Was Prefigured…
Chapter XXII.—Christ Did Not Come for the Sake of the Men of One Age Only, but…
Chapter XXIII.—The Patriarchs and Prophets by Pointing Out the Advent of…
Chapter XXIV.—The Conversion of the Gentiles Was More Difficult Than That of…
Chapter XXV.—Both Covenants Were Prefigured in Abraham, and in the Labour of…
Chapter XXVI.—The Treasure Hid in the Scriptures is Christ; the True Exposition…
Chapter XXVII—The Sins of the Men of Old Time, Which Incurred the Displeasure…
Chapter XXVIII.—Those Persons Prove Themselves Senseless Who Exaggerate the…
Chapter XXIX.—Refutation of the Arguments of the Marcionites, Who Attempted to…
Chapter XXX.—Refutation of Another Argument Adduced by the Marcionites, That…
Chapter XXXI.—We Should Not Hastily Impute as Crimes to the Men of Old Time…
Chapter XXXII.—That One God Was the Author of Both Testaments, is Confirmed by…
Chapter XXXIII.—Whosoever Confesses That One God is the Author of Both…
Chapter XXXIV.—Proof Against the Marcionites, That the Prophets Referred in All…
Chapter XXXV.—A Refutation of Those Who Allege That the Prophets Uttered Some…
Chapter XXXVI.—The Prophets Were Sent From One and the Same Father From Whom…
Chapter XXXVII.—Men Are Possessed of Free Will, and Endowed With the Faculty of…
Chapter XXXVIII.—Why Man Was Not Made Perfect From the Beginning
Chapter XXXIX.—Man is Endowed With the Faculty of Distinguishing Good and Evil…
Chapter XL.—One and the Same God the Father Inflicts Punishment on the…
Chapter XLI.—Those Persons Who Do Not Believe in God, but Who Are Disobedient…
Against Heresies: Book V
Preface (i, 4)
Chapter I.—Christ Alone is Able to Teach Divine Things, and to Redeem Us: He…
Chapter II.—When Christ Visited Us in His Grace, He Did Not Come to What Did…
Chapter III.—The Power and Glory of God Shine Forth in the Weakness of Human…
Chapter IV.—Those Persons Are Deceived Who Feign Another God the Father Besides…
Chapter V.—The Prolonged Life of the Ancients, the Translation of Elijah and of…
Chapter VI.—God Will Bestow Salvation Upon the Whole Nature of Man, Consisting…
Chapter VII.—Inasmuch as Christ Did Rise in Our Flesh, it Follows That We Shall…
Chapter VIII.—The Gifts of the Holy Spirit Which We Receive Prepare Us for…
Chapter IX.—Showing How That Passage of the Apostle Which the Heretics Pervert…
Chapter X.—By a Comparison Drawn From the Wild Olive-tree, Whose Quality but…
Chapter XI.—Treats Upon the Actions of Carnal and of Spiritual Persons; Also…
Chapter XII.—Of the Difference Between Life and Death; of the Breath of Life…
Chapter XIII.—In the Dead Who Were Raised by Christ We Possess the Highest…
Chapter XIV.—Unless the Flesh Were to Be Saved, the Word Would Not Have Taken…
Chapter XV.—Proofs of the Resurrection From Isaiah and Ezekiel; the Same God…
Chapter XVI.—Since Our Bodies Return to the Earth, it Follows That They Have…
Chapter XVII.—There is but One Lord and One God, the Father and Creator of All…
Chapter XVIII.—God the Father and His Word Have Formed All Created Things…
Chapter XIX.—A Comparison is Instituted Between the Disobedient and Sinning Eve…
Chapter XX.—Those Pastors Are to Be Heard to Whom the Apostles Committed the…
Chapter XXI.—Christ is the Head of All Things Already Mentioned. It Was Fitting…
Chapter XXII.—The True Lord and the One God is Declared by the Law, and…
Chapter XXIII.—The Devil is Well Practised in Falsehood, by Which Adam Having…
Chapter XXIV.—Of the Constant Falsehood of the Devil, and of the Powers and…
Chapter XXV.—The Fraud, Pride, and Tyrannical Kingdom of Antichrist, as…
Chapter XXVI.—John and Daniel Have Predicted the Dissolution and Desolation of…
Chapter XXVII.—The Future Judgment by Christ. Communion With and Separation…
Chapter XXVIII.—The Distinction to Be Made Between the Righteous and the…
Chapter XXIX.—All Things Have Been Created for the Service of Man. The Deceits…
Chapter XXX.—Although Certain as to the Number of the Name of Antichrist, Yet…
Chapter XXXI.—The Preservation of Our Bodies is Confirmed by the Resurrection…
Chapter XXXII.—In That Flesh in Which the Saints Have Suffered So Many…
Chapter XXXIII.—Further Proofs of the Same Proposition, Drawn From the Promises…
Chapter XXXIV.—He Fortifies His Opinions With Regard to the Temporal and…
Chapter XXXV.—He Contends That These Testimonies Already Alleged Cannot Be…
Chapter XXXVI.—Men Shall Be Actually Raised: the World Shall Not Be…

Contents